Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the implications of the emergence of variants of COVID-19, and (2) the potential for future mutations of that virus; and what plans they have made for the rapid acquisition of any re-purposed vaccine that may be needed.

There is currently no evidence that the vaccines do not work against the new strains but our experts are examining this closely. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is in discussion with vaccine manufacturers on potential modifications to current vaccines that may improve their effectiveness against new virus variants, if required. The MHRA will continue to process any application rapidly and rigorously, seeking advice from its independent expert committee, the Commission on Human Medicines and authorise any new variant vaccine as soon as data on safety, quality and efficacy are satisfactory.